put all one's eggs in one basket



put all one's eggs in one basket

Risk all of one's resources in a single venture, as in He had warned Peter about investing heavily in a single stock; it was putting all his eggs in one basket . This proverb, first recorded in 1710, has largely replaced the much older trust all one's goods to one ship. Mark Twain played on it in Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894): "The fool saith, 'Put not all thy eggs in one basket' ... but the wise man saith, 'Put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket!'"
See also: all, basket, egg, one, put

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
AlisonAL-i-sən (English), a-lee-SAWN (French)English, French
TawnyTAW-neeEnglish (Modern)
Tracey['tresi]
Mei (1)-Chinese
AddieAD-eeEnglish
Tilde-Danish